Top 10 Bizarre Feats of Architecture

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5. The Crooked House, Himley, England



This pub in the English West Midlands fell foul to too much coal removal beneath its footings during the mining period. The result was that it sunk to one side, causing drinks to roll off the table and punters feeling incredibly drunk after just a couple of beers. ****ressing has secured the building so it won’t slip any more, even though it’s still 15 degrees off angle. Photo by Gary S. Crutchley

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4. Upside-Down House in Szymbark, Poland



Philanthropist and businessman Daniel Czapiewski created this house in 114 days, as a statement about Communism. It attracts thousands of tourists a year, who often complain of sea-sickness and dizziness after walking around the structure. Photo by Dirk Wegman

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3. Habitat 67, Canada



Moshe Safdie was the designer behind this multi-cubed residential area in Montreal. Ironically, although they were designed with the intention of creating affordable but stylish accommodation, the domiciles rose in price as they rose in architectural infamy. Photo by P M M and hubertk

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2. The Winchester Mystery House, California





This ex-personal residence of Sarah Winchester is now a popular tourist attraction due to its sheer oddness. Winchester demanded daily “from-the-ground-up” construction around-the-clock, without interruption, from 1884 until her death in 1922. This resulted in a huge mansion with seven stories (now four), 160 rooms, two ballrooms, spider motifs hidden in the designs and staircases and doors leading to nowhere. Photo by dalvenjah and Slightlynorth

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1. Atomium, Brussels



The Atomium is a monument built for Expo ’58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair.
Designed by André Waterkeyn, it is 102-metre (335-feet) tall, with nine steel spheres connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Tubes which connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the center enclose escalators connecting the spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. Photo by fatboyke
Honorary Mention – The Ice Hotel, Sweden



This seasonal ice hotel was built in Jukkasjärvi after a French artist held an exhibition in an igloo and visitors asked to stay the night. The hotel is rebuilt each year, between December and April, using over 5,000 tones of ice for the church, Absolut Icebar, reception, main hall and suites. Photo by Weerf